SOCCER DISPUTE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 102, 27 October 1927, Page 20

SOCCER DISPUTE

CHATHAM CUP FINAL

OTAGO CLUB'S POSITION

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "The Evening Post") DUNEDIN, This Day. J.he facts connected with the trouble which had ariflen over the feal match fwn ? m Cup>, whit'h was P'aJ-ed at Wellmgtou on a 4th September, were placed betore the membcL-s of the Northcm Club at a special meetiug. Mr. J. U. lligby, the presid'eut of the club, who accompanied the Northern team us manager on; the trip . North, stated that one ot the members of the team (MCormack) had been injured, and it had jjeen decided to play in his stead T. Kuddiman. who, prior to leaving Dunedin, had resigned from the club's executive so as to be able to play in the cup competition in the event of M'Cormack not being fit to turn out. Before the match however, three members of the New Zealand Council approached the manager .and informed him, i v such a manner as to give .the impression that they were speaking on behalf of the council, that liUddiman was not eligible to play; turther, they stated that i£ he did play and Northern won and Pousonby protested, they would be oblired to uphold the protest. This, therefore, left Northern the -alternative of playiu" M'Cormack or fielding only ten men. Later, said Mr. .Kigby, he discovered that the warning given him by the council' members was not official. Accordingly a protest, - accompanied by a fee o£ £2 2s was sent to the council and a reply was received stating that the protest had been dismissed, and the £2 2s retained, which he considered was addinu insult to injury. ......

Mr. Kuddiman corroborated Mr. Ruby's statements, and claimed that by the°rule covering the subject he was eligible to play. ,

After some discussion, the following resolutions were passed:—(l) That a flat denial be made ..to the statements made in the letter from the secretary of the New Zealand Council; (2) that, as a preliminary to further action, if that necessity arises, the club should ask the council for answers to the various questions bearing on ;the matter, as members felt that they were entitled to ask questions and receive, definite answers; (3) that the club, knowing .the .correct facts of the council members' overtures to the club's president in his capacity as'manager of the team, and to certain of the players, is not prepared to accept the council's decision, and expresses the unanimous opinion that this matter should be reconsidered by the council and that the local secretary of the Otago Football Association be asked to satisfy the secretary of the New Zealand Football Association that it desires the case and the.whole of the facts governing it placed before the Football Association of ■ England. It was mentioned that the last course would be taken only .if no satisfactory results could be obtained by the investigations of the New Zealand Council.